We knew about dwarfism in humans but had no idea there were dwarf dogs too.
It seems dwarfism in dogs is more common in some breeds like German Shepherds, Corgis, and Basset Hounds, and it is caused by the deficiency of the growth hormone.
Unfortunately, this condition does not limit to the size of the dog, but it also causes a number of illnesses and disorders that, if left untreated, they could end up killing the dog.
Some of the illnesses and disorders that come with dog dwarfism are renal failure, underactive thyroid glands, slow intelligence, which eventually lead to an early death at the age of four or five. Yet, if the dog is closely monitored by a vet who will treat any illnesses, it can live a longer and happier life.
When Shelby Mayo from Phoenix, Arizona, got her new dog from a breeder, she realized he was smaller than his siblings, but she thought it was all because of an infection and he would soon recover and reach his proper size.
His mom explained that, although he was tiny, he had a “big dog attitude”, he would go and run with the whole pack full of confidence.
Indeed, when they took little Ranger to the vet, he confirmed that the German Shepherd did have an infection, but he also told them that there was a good chance he was also a dwarf.
View this post on Instagram
“We took him to the vet,” his mom told The Dodo, “and he had specialists come look at him. One of the vet specialists said ‘You know, there’s a really good possibility he’s a dwarf.'”
Ranger’s family looked up his condition and were confused and disappointed at first. There was so much he could suffer from that they didn’t even want to think about it. But they decided they would stand by him and help him live a good life.
One of the conditions that go hand in hand with dwarfism is an underactive thyroid, and that was something the family found out the hard way.
View this post on Instagram
After Ranger was neutered, he lost his appetite, lost a significant amount of weight, and also almost all of his fur.
“After a few more months we got him neutered and that’s when we started to see big changes. He lost his appetite, started to lose weight, lost almost all of his fur and had extremely dry and flaky skin,” Mayo said.
After some vet appointments, they concluded it was a thyroid problem. Thanks to this early diagnosis, the vet was able to treat his problem effectively, and he even gave them a special soap that guaranteed Ranger’s fur would grow back.
View this post on Instagram
And so it happened. Today, Ranger is three years old and he lives a happy life with his family. His fur has grown back and he is active and playful as ever.
According to his mom, he acts like a leader, but at times he plays the “I’m just a small dog” card and he likes it. That’s how he manages to get special treatment anyway!
Ranger even has his own Instagram account, where his fans can follow his day-to-day adventures.
View this post on Instagram
We are glad this special dog found a loving family that respects his needs and does anything possible to keep him healthy and happy. Way to go, boy!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
